History

26 Years Old - 6'2" - 197 lbs

My weight has bounced around for the last few years between 175 and 220. I've also done starting strength on and off during that time including for the last 4 months. Generally, I'm in as good as shape as I've been in since high school. Starting this log to get beyond that.

Goals

My goals are primarily aesthetic. Additionally, I'd like to get to the point where I'm done with SS and develop a long term habit of going to the gym regularly and lifting heavy.

I also want to get reasonably cut by June 1st. I think I'd like to aim for 10-12% BF at that point but that depends on where I'm at now. Scale BF meter says 21%, which I'm hoping is a little high. Let me know what you guys think:



Diet

I've lost about 15lbs or so since Nov 1 while making gains on SS. Not recording anything for now, though I'm willing to do it at some point. In a month of two I may start cutting seriously. For now, just going to work on getting to 200g of protein a day and the recommended amount of tallow. Going to take creatine and fish oil daily.

Routine

I'm going to continue on SS and eventually switch to advance novice. We'll see after that. I'm going to do DB bench instead of bench, and I'm going to do 4-5 sets of pushups (starting with sets of 25) a day for 5-6 days a week. I'll also probably walk a lot.

I'm probably approaching my first true reset in SS, and I might already be there. Not feeling great about my squat form. Here's where I'm at:

305 - Squat
325 - DL
80(x2) - Bench
125 - Press
165 - PC

Squat form check:






Feedback or negative reinforcement greatly appreciated!

Day 1 of getting at it for the log.

Squat: 4-4-2 @ 305 on work set. I had some trouble with balance and rhythm, because I was trying to fix some issues that skeletor121 and highland pointed out in the form thread. Pointing my toes out farther and looking down more. Going to try one more time, otherwise I'll reset after that and work on form.

DB Bench: 3x5x80(2) work set. No problem here. Probably need to start getting a spot soon though. I'll go up to 85s next time, but then probably start adding some reps before going up in weight.

DL: 1x5x335 work set. Left hand grip gave out on first pull. Reset with mixed grip and no problem.

Walked for 30min on treadmill.

re: Bodyfat %

I decided to pick up the $25 handheld monitor, because the scale seems way off. I know that won't be great either, but I want something easy to go off of to track relative changes.

Today it initially put me at 13.5% (scale said 21%). This seems maybe not too far off? An hour after workout it said 11.4%. I'll just try to track it in the morning once a week or something.

I'm no noodz expert but 21 seems very high compared to pics.

Squat:
3x5x305 ws

Tough but got it. Think I did a good job with knees out and looking down/forward this time.

O Press:
1x5x125 ws

Quit after one work set. Was feeling start of a cold before I came to the gym. Throat was feeling tight and had a bit of a headache after squats. Wasn't getting better as I was getting into press, so I figured I wasn't doing myself any favors at that point. Hopefully goes away, but lousy start to the log.

Guess I had some kind of sinus thing. Just really congested for a couple of days. Kinda weird.

2013-3-13

Squat:
3x5x307.5 ws

Didn't feel harder than last session.

O Press:
5-5-4 @ 125 ws

Just missed the last one, but I'm going to blame it on a lack of focus and continue on.

PC:
3x5x165 ws

This was surprisingly easy. It's been about a month since I've PCed. I know form needs some work, though. Will post vid soon.

+ 30 min walking

I've been sticking with the 4-5 sets of pushups a day most days. Has anyone done the full Greyskull LP with easy daily pushups and pullups?

wtffff you are not even remotely close to 21%. If I had to choose between 13 and 21 I'd pick 13. I mean, I can see abs in that first pic. So you're probably under 15 at least...

Started to do an hour of fasted walking every morning myself. I figure free calorie burn right? How's it going for you? What's your speed & incline?

Been doing 5 incline 3.0mph. Going fine just. I'm just starting out after not really doing any kind of cardio for the last...??? Probably up the incline and duration as I go more.

Yeah, my thoughts are similar. Burn some fat and not effect recovery much. I figure this will be a great habit to have when I'm cutting.

I was trying to read up on low intensity vs high intensity cardio and the effects on fat burning/lean body mass, but I couldn't really figure out what was legitimate.

Hard to estimate your body percentage. Chest is a going to be a bitch (no pun intended) to fix because IMO that's stubborn bodyfat. Abs are lean as fack though. Lower back normal.

14.5%. Final answer.

I wouldn't worry so much about the small differences between either of them right now as it's a pretty simple answer at the habit forming stage. Low intensity is by definition easier than high intensity and therefore it will be much easier to form a habit by completing the easier of two options. Once you have this habit in place you can ramp up the difficulty to get progressively more difficult. It's relatively easy to regain cardio capacity compared to strength, so there really shouldn't be a huge rush to get too crazy with the cardio.

Also agree with Saw, you're <15% body fat most likely.

Google "stubborn bodyfat + Lyle McDonald" and also google "Martin Berkhan + stubborn bodyfat."

Yohimbine, fasted cardio, IF may all come handy for you.

Oh man, didn't even think about having stubborn body fat.

I think I was naively assuming everything would just melt away when I decided to cut.


Loco,

Since I'm wasn't planning on cutting yet and am just getting into cardio, is there any no brainer stuff I should really be doing now? Or should I just research what you mentioned and figure out how to go at it down the road?

Cool, something in the 15 range was what I was thinking initially. And, yeah, I think I'll be better off avoiding FPS at the moment.

Don't worry about it unless you are cutting and looking to get in the single digits. I assumed you were cutting to 10% and figured I might as well get to that subject since IMO fat loss is going to get real tough for you soon. A fellow warrior with aspirations of rippedness (Aura) I believe has encountered the stubborn bodyfat.

I encountered this phenomena at around 9%. Seems like I couldn't get rid of fat anymore. And when I lost 5 more pounds, I didn't look any leaner. Frustrating. Next time I will be adding intermittent fasting, fasted cardio, yohimbine cycling and ephedra cycling (not simultaneous), and possibly advanced secret H&F strategies such as fasted 10x10 squats invented right here in H&F by both Aura and Soulman (but only performed by Aura).

But anyways I could also just be making **** up. So if I were you, I would not worry about this small rock.

Ended up on too long a break due to St Patty's

2013-3-19

Squat:
3x5x310 ws

Was pretty sore in my groin/upper thigh and hip region on both sides on the warm up sets. Wasn't expecting it and haven't felt it much before. Was fine by work sets. Maybe I'm coming to far forward and not sitting back far enough and that is causing problems?

DB Bench:
5-5-4 @ 85(2) ws

Just missed. Will stay at 85 and go 6 reps next time.

DL:
1x5x345 ws

Think my back is mostly alright. Maybe I need to control the descent a little more? Lost my grip a bit on #5.

2013-3-20 (last log should say 3-18)

Squat:
5-5-2 @ 312.5 ws

Same stiff/soreness to start. Wasn't even really able to go all the way deep in my initial warmups. Again, wasn't really feeling this by the work sets. Basically not feeling it except when I'm warming up squats. Sets were HARD!

O Press:
3x5x127.5 ws

Concentrated on staying tight, balanced, and having a good rhythm and these were easier than they have been.

PC:
3-3-3-3-2 @ 170 ws

A bit exhausted at the end. Form probably ****. I'll stick with that weight next time.

BB Curls:
10 @ 45
6-6 @ 55

Ok, haven't done curls in I guess a couple of years? These were embarrassingly hard. Not really sure what weight is normal for strict bb curls, though.

20 min walking, 3mph 6 incline

2013-3-22

Squat:
3x5x312.5 ws

Didn't think I was going to get this, because I was a little hungover and didn't sleep great, but I guess the preworkout Baconator came through for me.

DB Bench:
3x6x85(2) ws

Did the last set with one 90 on accident.

DL:
1x5x350 ws

Did it, but had someone tape it, and some l had slight rounding going on for sure. Pretty sure not getting my butt up enough was the issue.

2013-3-29

I took a break from the gym after having a bit of pain in my lumbar spine. Very little pain. Felt like there was a small bruise there, and moving around didn't really do anything to aggravate it. But this did seem like a good time to reset on squat and deadlift and really make sure my form is working. So for the last week I've just been doing 4-5 sets of pushups a day and threw some planks in there as well.

Squat:
3x5x275 ws

Did a lot of rolling before, but was still stiff in the groin/hip area. I think I need to look into some mobility exerciser maybe. Tried to get a friend to tape 3rd set, but he didn't hit record.

O Press:
3x5x130 ws

Feeling pretty good about OP lately. Think I should be able to get to plates.

PC:
3x5x170 ws

Tired by the end, and not getting my elbows all the way up into a good rack position. I did spend some time after stretching with the bar as this is something I need to work on I think.

BB Curls:
4x10x45

Did them the way starting strength suggests.

30 min walking, 3mph 7 incline

Ok, a little research and I think I might have figured out the hip flexor stiffness. Someone pointed out in form thread that I wasn't really completing my squats at the top. I've been trying to fix that, but after reading this I think that could be the issue I'm having.

Weighed in today at 203 up 6 lbs. Handheld BF meter says 13.7% so up .2%.

I'm a little surprised about the gain. It might be that I've been more conscious about getting enough protein and getting a creatine dose daily. I'm going to watch my calorie intake for the next couple of weeks and then start cutting seriously around mid month.

2013-3-22

Squat:
3x5x225 ws

Decided to drop down even more to get form right. Don't want to **** with my back too much.




DB Bench:
3x7x85(2) ws

These felt good. I think the daily pushups are helping.

Chins:
5-3, 5 slow negatives

Decided not to do DL today, since I still have the small bit of lumbar pain, and there was no one around I trusted to spot and tape. I did chins instead, which I haven't really done before seriously. Did them as dead hangs which was very hard for me. Was hoping to do 3x5 but no chance. I'll read up on form and programming. I'm going to want to start doing chins and pullups instead of DL and Squat on the same day when I start to cut.

Subscribed! go go go!

2013-4-5

Squat:
3x5x235 ws

Feeling better. Hips not really bothering me anymore. Think I need to concentrate on keeping tight in the core more. I think it look like I lose it a little bit in the bottom. And this is what KC suggested in the form check thread to fix the lumbar issue.



O Press:
5-4-4 @ 135 ws

Didn't have my micros so jumped to plates. 1st set felt great. Next sets I lost my balance a bit at the end on both and missed the last one.

BB Curls:
4x10x45

25 min walking, 3mph 7 incline

Form looks good to me. While you are correcting your form, are you going to try to move up at like 10lb a week or so? Or faster? You can clearly squat more than 235.